Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for inserting a character from an alternate keyboard

ABSTRACT

A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises displaying a first soft keyboard. While displaying the first soft keyboard, a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard is displayed. A first contact is detected on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard. In response to detecting the first contact, the second soft keyboard is displayed. Movement of the first contact is detected to a character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard. Lift off of the first contact is detected at the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the first contact moved. In response to detecting the lift off, a character is inserted that corresponds to the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the first contact moved and the display of the second soft keyboard is ceased.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/163,886, filed Jun. 27, 2008, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

This application is related to the following applications: (1) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/188,182, “Touch Pad For Handheld Device,”filed Jul. 1, 2002; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/722,948,“Touch Pad For Handheld Device,” filed Nov. 25, 2003; (3) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/643,256, “Movable Touch Pad With AddedFunctionality,” filed Aug. 18, 2003; (4) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/654,108, “Ambidextrous Mouse,” filed Sep. 2, 2003; (5) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862, “Multipoint Touchscreen,” filedMay 6, 2004; (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/903,964, “GesturesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jul. 30, 2004; (7) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical User InterfacesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (8) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/057,050, “Display Actuator,” filed Feb. 11,2005; (9) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749, “Multi-FunctionalHand-Held Device,” filed Mar. 3, 2006; and (10) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/850,635, “Touch Screen Device, Method, and Graphical UserInterface for Determining Commands by Applying Heuristics,” filed Sep.5, 2007. All of these applications are incorporated by reference hereinin their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate generally to electronic devices withtouch screen displays, and more particularly, to electronic deviceshaving a user interface for inserting a character from an alternatekeyboard on the touch screen display.

BACKGROUND

As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number offunctions performed by a given device increase, it has become asignificant challenge to design a user interface that allows users toeasily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge isparticular significant for handheld portable devices, which have muchsmaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation isunfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through whichusers receive not only content but also responses to user actions orbehaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools,and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobiletelephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellulartelephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons,increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions ofpushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access,store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces oftenresult in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must bememorized by the user.

Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physicalpushbuttons, are also inflexible. This may prevent a user interface frombeing configured and/or adapted by either an application running on theportable device or by users. When coupled with the time consumingrequirement to memorize multiple key sequences and menu hierarchies, andthe difficulty in activating a desired pushbutton, such inflexibility isfrustrating to most users.

Electronic devices with touch screens may display a variety of differentsoft keyboards. For example, letter keys may be accessed on one softkeyboard while numbers, punctuation, and other symbols are insertedusing another soft keyboard. In conventional user interfaces, accessingtwo different soft keyboard layouts may be tedious and awkward when auser desires to enter a character from an alternate keyboard.

Accordingly, there is a need for electronic devices with touch screendisplays that have more transparent and intuitive user interfaces forusing multiple soft keyboards. Such interfaces increase efficiency anduser satisfaction with such electronic devices.

SUMMARY

The above deficiencies and other problems associated with userinterfaces for devices with touch screen displays are reduced oreliminated by the disclosed multifunction device. In some embodiments,the device is portable. In some embodiments, the device has atouch-sensitive display (also known as a “touch screen”) with agraphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors, memory and oneor more modules, programs or sets of instructions stored in the memoryfor performing multiple functions. In some embodiments, the userinteracts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts and gestures onthe touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the functions mayinclude telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging,blogging, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digitalmusic playing, and/or digital video playing. Instructions for performingthese functions may be included in a computer readable storage medium orother computer program product configured for execution by one or moreprocessors.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method isperformed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display.The computer-implemented method includes displaying a first softkeyboard. The first soft keyboard contains a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys. While displaying the first soft keyboard, akey for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first softkeyboard is displayed. The second soft keyboard contains a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys. A first contact is detected on the key forselecting the second soft keyboard. In response to detecting the firstcontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, the secondsoft keyboard is displayed. The first contact is detected moving on thetouch screen display to a character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard. Lift off of the first contact is detected from the touchscreen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved. In response to detecting liftoff of the first contact from the touch screen display at thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved, a character is inserted that corresponds to thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved and the display of the second soft keyboard is ceased.

In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on aportable electronic device with a touch screen display includes a firstsoft keyboard containing a plurality of character-insertion keys; a keyfor selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first softkeyboard; and the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboardcontaining a plurality of character-insertion keys. The key forselecting the second soft keyboard is displayed while displaying thefirst soft keyboard. In response to detecting a first contact on the keyfor selecting the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard isdisplayed. The first contact is detected moving on the touch screendisplay to a character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard. Liftoff of the first contact from the touch screen display is detected atthe character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which thefirst contact moved. In response to detecting lift off of the firstcontact from the touch screen display at the character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard to which the first contact moved, a characteris inserted that corresponds to the character-insertion key in thesecond soft keyboard to which the first contact moved and the display ofthe second soft keyboard is ceased.

In accordance with some embodiments, a portable electronic deviceincludes: a touch screen display; one or more processors; memory; andone or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in the memoryand configured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one ormore programs include instructions for: displaying a first softkeyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; while displaying the first soft keyboard,displaying a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from thefirst soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; detecting a first contact on the key forselecting the second soft keyboard; in response to detecting the firstcontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, displayingthe second soft keyboard; detecting the first contact moving on thetouch screen display to a character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard; detecting lift off of the first contact from the touch screendisplay at the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard towhich the first contact moved; and in response to detecting lift off ofthe first contact from the touch screen display at thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved, inserting a character that corresponds to thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved and ceasing to display the second soft keyboard.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer readable storage mediumhas stored therein instructions, which when executed by a portableelectronic device with a touch screen display, cause the portableelectronic device to: display a first soft keyboard, the first softkeyboard containing a plurality of character-insertion keys; whiledisplaying the first soft keyboard, display a key for selecting a secondsoft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard, the second softkeyboard containing a plurality of character-insertion keys; detect afirst contact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; inresponse to detecting the first contact on the key for selecting thesecond soft keyboard, display the second soft keyboard; detect the firstcontact moving on the touch screen display to a character-insertion keyin the second soft keyboard; detect lift off of the first contact fromthe touch screen display at the character-insertion key in the secondsoft keyboard to which the first contact moved; and in response todetecting lift off of the first contact from the touch screen display atthe character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which thefirst contact moved, insert a character that corresponds to thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved and cease to display the second soft keyboard.

In accordance with some embodiments, a portable electronic deviceincludes: a touch screen display; means for displaying a first softkeyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; while displaying the first soft keyboard,means for displaying a key for selecting a second soft keyboarddifferent from the first soft keyboard, the second soft keyboardcontaining a plurality of character-insertion keys; means for detectinga first contact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; inresponse to detecting the first contact on the key for selecting thesecond soft keyboard, means for displaying the second soft keyboard;means for detecting the first contact moving on the touch screen displayto a character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard; means fordetecting lift off of the first contact from the touch screen display atthe character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which thefirst contact moved; and in response to detecting lift off of the firstcontact from the touch screen display at the character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard to which the first contact moved, means forinserting a character that corresponds to the character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard to which the first contact moved and means forceasing to display the second soft keyboard.

Thus, the invention provides a simple, efficient, and easy-to-useinterface for inserting a character from an alternate keyboard on anelectronic device with a touch screen display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the aforementioned embodiments of theinvention as well as additional embodiments thereof, reference should bemade to the Description of Embodiments below, in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer tocorresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunctiondevices with touch-sensitive displays in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a touch screenin accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate exemplary user interfaces for unlocking aportable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate exemplary user interfaces for inserting acharacter from an alternate keyboard on a touch screen display inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-C is a flow diagram illustrating a method of inserting acharacter from an alternate keyboard on a touch screen display inaccordance with some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present inventionmay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks havenot been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspectsof the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another. For example, a first gesture could be termed asecond gesture, and, similarly, a second gesture could be termed a firstgesture, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description ofthe invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that theterm “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and allpossible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Itwill be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or“comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofstated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon”or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” dependingon the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [astated condition or event] is detected” may be construed to mean “upondetermining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [thestated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the statedcondition or event],” depending on the context.

Embodiments of a portable multifunction device, user interfaces for suchdevices, and associated processes for using such devices are described.In some embodiments, the device is a portable communications device suchas a mobile telephone that also contains other functions, such as PDAand/or music player functions.

The user interface may include a physical click wheel in addition to atouch screen or a virtual click wheel displayed on the touch screen. Aclick wheel is a user-interface device that may provide navigationcommands based on an angular displacement of the wheel or a point ofcontact with the wheel by a user of the device. A click wheel may alsobe used to provide a user command corresponding to selection of one ormore items, for example, when the user of the device presses down on atleast a portion of the wheel or the center of the wheel. Alternatively,breaking contact with a click wheel image on a touch screen surface mayindicate a user command corresponding to selection. For simplicity, inthe discussion that follows, a portable multifunction device thatincludes a touch screen is used as an exemplary embodiment. It should beunderstood, however, that some of the user interfaces and associatedprocesses may be applied to other devices, such as personal computersand laptop computers, which may include one or more other physicaluser-interface devices, such as a physical click wheel, a physicalkeyboard, a mouse and/or a joystick.

The device supports a variety of applications, such as one or more ofthe following: a telephone application, a video conferencingapplication, an e-mail application, an instant messaging application, ablogging application, a photo management application, a digital cameraapplication, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that may be executed on the device may use atleast one common physical user-interface device, such as the touchscreen. One or more functions of the touch screen as well ascorresponding information displayed on the device may be adjusted and/orvaried from one application to the next and/or within a respectiveapplication. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as thetouch screen) of the device may support the variety of applications withuser interfaces that are intuitive and transparent.

The user interfaces may include one or more soft keyboard embodiments.The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/ornon-standard configurations of symbols on the displayed icons of thekeyboard, such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/459,606, “Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24,2006, and Ser. No. 11/459,615, “Touch Screen Keyboards For PortableElectronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The keyboardembodiments may include a reduced number of icons (or soft keys)relative to the number of keys in existing physical keyboards, such asthat for a typewriter. This may make it easier for users to select oneor more icons in the keyboard, and thus, one or more correspondingsymbols. The keyboard embodiments may be adaptive. For example,displayed icons may be modified in accordance with user actions, such asselecting one or more icons and/or one or more corresponding symbols.One or more applications on the portable device may utilize commonand/or different keyboard embodiments. Thus, the keyboard embodimentused may be tailored to at least some of the applications. In someembodiments, one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to arespective user. For example, one or more keyboard embodiments may betailored to a respective user based on a word usage history(lexicography, slang, individual usage) of the respective user. Some ofthe keyboard embodiments may be adjusted to reduce a probability of auser error when selecting one or more icons, and thus one or moresymbols, when using the soft keyboard embodiments.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of the device. FIGS. 1Aand 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunction devices100 with touch-sensitive displays 112 in accordance with someembodiments. The touch-sensitive display 112 is sometimes called a“touch screen” for convenience, and may also be known as or called atouch-sensitive display system. The device 100 may include a memory 102(which may include one or more computer readable storage mediums), amemory controller 122, one or more processing units (CPU's) 120, aperipherals interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, aspeaker 111, a microphone 113, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 106,other input or control devices 116, and an external port 124. The device100 may include one or more optical sensors 164. These components maycommunicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines 103.

It should be appreciated that the device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device 100, and that the device 100 may have moreor fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or amay have a different configuration or arrangement of the components. Thevarious components shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B may be implemented inhardware, software or a combination of both hardware and software,including one or more signal processing and/or application specificintegrated circuits.

Memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may alsoinclude non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storagedevices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memorydevices. Access to memory 102 by other components of the device 100,such as the CPU 120 and the peripherals interface 118, may be controlledby the memory controller 122.

The peripherals interface 118 couples the input and output peripheralsof the device to the CPU 120 and memory 102. The one or more processors120 run or execute various software programs and/or sets of instructionsstored in memory 102 to perform various functions for the device 100 andto process data.

In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 118, the CPU 120, and thememory controller 122 may be implemented on a single chip, such as achip 104. In some other embodiments, they may be implemented on separatechips.

The RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals,also called electromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 convertselectrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 may include well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. The RFcircuitry 108 may communicate with networks, such as the Internet, alsoreferred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wirelessnetwork, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local areanetwork (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and otherdevices by wireless communication. The wireless communication may useany of a plurality of communications standards, protocols andtechnologies, including but not limited to Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speeddownlink packet access (HSDPA), wideband code division multiple access(W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multipleaccess (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a,IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and/or IEEE 802.11n), voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocol for email (e.g., Internet messageaccess protocol (IMAP) and/or post office protocol (POP)), instantmessaging (e.g., extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP),Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and PresenceLeveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), and/or Instant Messaging and PresenceService (IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service (SMS)), or any othersuitable communication protocol, including communication protocols notyet developed as of the filing date of this document.

The audio circuitry 110, the speaker 111, and the microphone 113 providean audio interface between a user and the device 100. The audiocircuitry 110 receives audio data from the peripherals interface 118,converts the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits theelectrical signal to the speaker 111. The speaker 111 converts theelectrical signal to human-audible sound waves. The audio circuitry 110also receives electrical signals converted by the microphone 113 fromsound waves. The audio circuitry 110 converts the electrical signal toaudio data and transmits the audio data to the peripherals interface 118for processing. Audio data may be retrieved from and/or transmitted tomemory 102 and/or the RF circuitry 108 by the peripherals interface 118.In some embodiments, the audio circuitry 110 also includes a headsetjack (e.g. 212, FIG. 2). The headset jack provides an interface betweenthe audio circuitry 110 and removable audio input/output peripherals,such as output-only headphones or a headset with both output (e.g., aheadphone for one or both ears) and input (e.g., a microphone).

The I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on the device100, such as the touch screen 112 and other input/control devices 116,to the peripherals interface 118. The I/O subsystem 106 may include adisplay controller 156 and one or more input controllers 160 for otherinput or control devices. The one or more input controllers 160receive/send electrical signals from/to other input or control devices116. The other input/control devices 116 may include physical buttons(e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches,joysticks, click wheels, and so forth. In some alternate embodiments,input controller(s) 160 may be coupled to any (or none) of thefollowing: a keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and a pointer devicesuch as a mouse. The one or more buttons (e.g., 208, FIG. 2) may includean up/down button for volume control of the speaker 111 and/or themicrophone 113. The one or more buttons may include a push button (e.g.,206, FIG. 2). A quick press of the push button may disengage a lock ofthe touch screen 112 or begin a process that uses gestures on the touchscreen to unlock the device, as described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device by Performing Gestures on anUnlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. A longer press of the push button (e.g., 206)may turn power to the device 100 on or off. The user may be able tocustomize a functionality of one or more of the buttons. The touchscreen 112 is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one or moresoft keyboards.

The touch-sensitive touch screen 112 provides an input interface and anoutput interface between the device and a user. The display controller156 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to the touch screen112. The touch screen 112 displays visual output to the user. The visualoutput may include graphics, text, icons, video, and any combinationthereof (collectively termed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some orall of the visual output may correspond to user-interface objects.

A touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor or set ofsensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactilecontact. The touch screen 112 and the display controller 156 (along withany associated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detectcontact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on the touchscreen 112 and converts the detected contact into interaction withuser-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages orimages) that are displayed on the touch screen. In an exemplaryembodiment, a point of contact between a touch screen 112 and the usercorresponds to a finger of the user.

The touch screen 112 may use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, orLPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, although other displaytechnologies may be used in other embodiments. The touch screen 112 andthe display controller 156 may detect contact and any movement orbreaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch sensing technologiesnow known or later developed, including but not limited to capacitive,resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well asother proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining one ormore points of contact with a touch screen 112.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of the touch screen 112may be analogous to the multi-touch sensitive tablets described in thefollowing U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,846 (Westerman et al.), U.S. Pat. No.6,570,557 (Westerman et al.), and/or U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,932(Westerman), and/or U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0015024A1, each ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, atouch screen 112 displays visual output from the portable device 100,whereas touch sensitive tablets do not provide visual output.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of the touch screen 112may be as described in the following applications: (1) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/381,313, “Multipoint Touch Surface Controller,”filed May 2, 2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862,“Multipoint Touchscreen,” filed May 6, 2004; (3) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/903,964, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filedJul. 30, 2004; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/048,264,“Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical UserInterfaces For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (6)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,758, “Virtual Input DevicePlacement On A Touch Screen User Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (7)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,700, “Operation Of A ComputerWith A Touch Screen Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (8) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,737, “Activating Virtual Keys Of ATouch-Screen Virtual Keyboard,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; and (9) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,”filed Mar. 3, 2006. All of these applications are incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

The touch screen 112 may have a resolution in excess of 100 dpi. In anexemplary embodiment, the touch screen has a resolution of approximately160 dpi. The user may make contact with the touch screen 112 using anysuitable object or appendage, such as a stylus, a finger, and so forth.In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to work primarilywith finger-based contacts and gestures, which are much less precisethan stylus-based input due to the larger area of contact of a finger onthe touch screen. In some embodiments, the device translates the roughfinger-based input into a precise pointer/cursor position or command forperforming the actions desired by the user.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, the device 100 mayinclude a touchpad (not shown) for activating or deactivating particularfunctions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive areaof the device that, unlike the touch screen, does not display visualoutput. The touchpad may be a touch-sensitive surface that is separatefrom the touch screen 112 or an extension of the touch-sensitive surfaceformed by the touch screen.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may include a physical or virtualclick wheel as an input control device 116. A user may navigate amongand interact with one or more graphical objects (henceforth referred toas icons) displayed in the touch screen 112 by rotating the click wheelor by moving a point of contact with the click wheel (e.g., where theamount of movement of the point of contact is measured by its angulardisplacement with respect to a center point of the click wheel). Theclick wheel may also be used to select one or more of the displayedicons. For example, the user may press down on at least a portion of theclick wheel or an associated button. User commands and navigationcommands provided by the user via the click wheel may be processed by aninput controller 160 as well as one or more of the modules and/or setsof instructions in memory 102. For a virtual click wheel, the clickwheel and click wheel controller may be part of the touch screen 112 andthe display controller 156, respectively. For a virtual click wheel, theclick wheel may be either an opaque or semitransparent object thatappears and disappears on the touch screen display in response to userinteraction with the device. In some embodiments, a virtual click wheelis displayed on the touch screen of a portable multifunction device andoperated by user contact with the touch screen.

The device 100 also includes a power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. The power system 162 may include a power management system,one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), arecharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converteror inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode(LED)) and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

The device 100 may also include one or more optical sensors 164. FIGS.1A and 1B show an optical sensor coupled to an optical sensor controller158 in I/O subsystem 106. The optical sensor 164 may includecharge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) phototransistors. The optical sensor 164 receives light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lens, and converts the lightto data representing an image. In conjunction with an imaging module 143(also called a camera module), the optical sensor 164 may capture stillimages or video. In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located onthe back of the device 100, opposite the touch screen display 112 on thefront of the device, so that the touch screen display may be used as aviewfinder for either still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, an optical sensor is located on the front of the device sothat the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while theuser views the other video conference participants on the touch screendisplay. In some embodiments, the position of the optical sensor 164 canbe changed by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the sensor in thedevice housing) so that a single optical sensor 164 may be used alongwith the touch screen display for both video conferencing and stilland/or video image acquisition.

The device 100 may also include one or more proximity sensors 166. FIGS.1A and 1B show a proximity sensor 166 coupled to the peripheralsinterface 118. Alternately, the proximity sensor 166 may be coupled toan input controller 160 in the I/O subsystem 106. The proximity sensor166 may perform as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/241,839, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device”; Ser. No.11/240,788, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device”; Ser. No.11/620,702, “Using Ambient Light Sensor To Augment Proximity SensorOutput”; Ser. No. 11/586,862, “Automated Response To And Sensing Of UserActivity In Portable Devices”; and Ser. No. 11/638,251, “Methods AndSystems For Automatic Configuration Of Peripherals,” which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety. In some embodiments, theproximity sensor turns off and disables the touch screen 112 when themultifunction device is placed near the user's ear (e.g., when the useris making a phone call). In some embodiments, the proximity sensor keepsthe screen off when the device is in the user's pocket, purse, or otherdark area to prevent unnecessary battery drainage when the device is alocked state.

The device 100 may also include one or more accelerometers 168. FIGS. 1Aand 1B show an accelerometer 168 coupled to the peripherals interface118. Alternately, the accelerometer 168 may be coupled to an inputcontroller 160 in the I/O subsystem 106. The accelerometer 168 mayperform as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050190059,“Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable ElectronicDevices,” and U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060017692, “Methods AndApparatuses For Operating A Portable Device Based On An Accelerometer,”both of which are which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety. In some embodiments, information is displayed on the touchscreen display in a portrait view or a landscape view based on ananalysis of data received from the one or more accelerometers.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102 mayinclude an operating system 126, a communication module (or set ofinstructions) 128, a contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130,a graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, a text input module (orset of instructions) 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module (orset of instructions) 135, and applications (or set of instructions) 136.

The operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includesvarious software components and/or drivers for controlling and managinggeneral system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control,power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between varioushardware and software components.

The communication module 128 facilitates communication with otherdevices over one or more external ports 124 and also includes varioussoftware components for handling data received by the RF circuitry 108and/or the external port 124. The external port 124 (e.g., UniversalSerial Bus (USB), FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly toother devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wirelessLAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g.,30-pin) connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatiblewith the 30-pin connector used on iPod (trademark of Apple Computer,Inc.) devices.

The contact/motion module 130 may detect contact with the touch screen112 (in conjunction with the display controller 156) and other touchsensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel). Thecontact/motion module 130 includes various software components forperforming various operations related to detection of contact, such asdetermining if contact has occurred, determining if there is movement ofthe contact and tracking the movement across the touch screen 112, anddetermining if the contact has been broken (i.e., if the contact hasceased). Determining movement of the point of contact may includedetermining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction),and/or an acceleration (a change in magnitude and/or direction) of thepoint of contact. These operations may be applied to single contacts(e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g.,“multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). In some embodiments, thecontact/motion module 130 and the display controller 156 also detectscontact on a touchpad. In some embodiments, the contact/motion module130 and the controller 160 detects contact on a click wheel.

The graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on the touch screen 112, includingcomponents for changing the intensity of graphics that are displayed. Asused herein, the term “graphics” includes any object that can bedisplayed to a user, including without limitation text, web pages, icons(such as user-interface objects including soft keys), digital images,videos, animations and the like.

The text input module 134, which may be a component of graphics module132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in various applications(e.g., contacts 137, e-mail 140, IM 141, blogging 142, browser 147, andany other application that needs text input).

The GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and providesthis information for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138for use in location-based dialing, to camera 143 and/or blogger 142 aspicture/video metadata, and to applications that provide location-basedservices such as weather widgets, local yellow page widgets, andmap/navigation widgets).

The applications 136 may include the following modules (or sets ofinstructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   a contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or        contact list);    -   a telephone module 138;    -   a video conferencing module 139;    -   an e-mail client module 140;    -   an instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   a blogging module 142;    -   a camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   an image management module 144;    -   a video player module 145;    -   a music player module 146;    -   a browser module 147;    -   a calendar module 148;    -   widget modules 149, which may include weather widget 149-1,        stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3, alarm clock widget        149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and other widgets obtained by        the user, as well as user-created widgets 149-6;    -   widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;    -   search module 151;    -   video and music player module 152, which merges video player        module 145 and music player module 146;    -   notes module 153;    -   map module 154; and/or    -   online video module 155.

Examples of other applications 136 that may be stored in memory 102include other word processing applications, JAVA-enabled applications,encryption, digital rights management, voice recognition, and voicereplication.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, the contactsmodule 137 may be used to manage an address book or contact list,including: adding name(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from theaddress book; associating telephone number(s), e-mail address(es),physical address(es) or other information with a name; associating animage with a name; categorizing and sorting names; providing telephonenumbers or e-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate communicationsby telephone 138, video conference 139, e-mail 140, or IM 141; and soforth.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, contact module130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, the telephonemodule 138 may be used to enter a sequence of characters correspondingto a telephone number, access one or more telephone numbers in theaddress book 137, modify a telephone number that has been entered, diala respective telephone number, conduct a conversation and disconnect orhang up when the conversation is completed. As noted above, the wirelesscommunication may use any of a plurality of communications standards,protocols and technologies.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, optical sensor164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130, graphics module132, text input module 134, contact list 137, and telephone module 138,the videoconferencing module 139 may be used to initiate, conduct, andterminate a video conference between a user and one or more otherparticipants.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the e-mail client module 140 may be used to create, send,receive, and manage e-mail. In conjunction with image management module144, the e-mail module 140 makes it very easy to create and send e-mailswith still or video images taken with camera module 143.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the instant messaging module 141 may be used to enter asequence of characters corresponding to an instant message, to modifypreviously entered characters, to transmit a respective instant message(for example, using a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia MessageService (MMS) protocol for telephony-based instant messages or usingXMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-based instant messages), to receiveinstant messages and to view received instant messages. In someembodiments, transmitted and/or received instant messages may includegraphics, photos, audio files, video files and/or other attachments asare supported in a MMS and/or an Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS). Asused herein, “instant messaging” refers to both telephony-based messages(e.g., messages sent using SMS or MMS) and Internet-based messages(e.g., messages sent using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, image management module 144, and browsing module 147, theblogging module 142 may be used to send text, still images, video,and/or other graphics to a blog (e.g., the user's blog).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130,graphics module 132, and image management module 144, the camera module143 may be used to capture still images or video (including a videostream) and store them into memory 102, modify characteristics of astill image or video, or delete a still image or video from memory 102.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134, and cameramodule 143, the image management module 144 may be used to arrange,modify or otherwise manipulate, label, delete, present (e.g., in adigital slide show or album), and store still and/or video images.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, and speaker 111,the video player module 145 may be used to display, present or otherwiseplay back videos (e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connecteddisplay via external port 124).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module 147, the music player module146 allows the user to download and play back recorded music and othersound files stored in one or more file formats, such as MP3 or AACfiles. In some embodiments, the device 100 may include the functionalityof an MP3 player, such as an iPod (trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the browser module 147 may be used to browse the Internet,including searching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages orportions thereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to webpages.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, e-mail module 140, and browser module 147, the calendarmodule 148 may be used to create, display, modify, and store calendarsand data associated with calendars (e.g., calendar entries, to do lists,etc.).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, the widget modules 149 aremini-applications that may be downloaded and used by a user (e.g.,weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3,alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary widget 149-5) or created by theuser (e.g., user-created widget 149-6). In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file, a CSS (CascadingStyle Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file. In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file and a JavaScript file(e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, the widget creator module 150 may beused by a user to create widgets (e.g., turning a user-specified portionof a web page into a widget).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, thesearch module 151 may be used to search for text, music, sound, image,video, and/or other files in memory 102 that match one or more searchcriteria (e.g., one or more user-specified search terms).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, the notesmodule 153 may be used to create and manage notes, to do lists, and thelike.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, GPS module 135, and browser module 147, the map module 154may be used to receive, display, modify, and store maps and dataassociated with maps (e.g., driving directions; data on stores and otherpoints of interest at or near a particular location; and otherlocation-based data).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, text input module 134, e-mail client module 140,and browser module 147, the online video module 155 allows the user toaccess, browse, receive (e.g., by streaming and/or download), play back(e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connected display viaexternal port 124), send an e-mail with a link to a particular onlinevideo, and otherwise manage online videos in one or more file formats,such as H.264. In some embodiments, instant messaging module 141, ratherthan e-mail client module 140, is used to send a link to a particularonline video. Additional description of the online video application canbe found in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/936,562,“Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface forPlaying Online Videos,” filed Jun. 20, 2007, and U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/968,067, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, andGraphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos,” filed Dec. 31,2007, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

Each of the above identified modules and applications correspond to aset of instructions for performing one or more functions describedabove. These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need not beimplemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, andthus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwisere-arranged in various embodiments. For example, video player module 145may be combined with music player module 146 into a single module (e.g.,video and music player module 152, FIG. 1B). In some embodiments, memory102 may store a subset of the modules and data structures identifiedabove. Furthermore, memory 102 may store additional modules and datastructures not described above.

In some embodiments, the device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen 112 and/or a touchpad. By using a touch screenand/or a touchpad as the primary input/control device for operation ofthe device 100, the number of physical input/control devices (such aspush buttons, dials, and the like) on the device 100 may be reduced.

The predefined set of functions that may be performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad include navigation between userinterfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by the user,navigates the device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from any userinterface that may be displayed on the device 100. In such embodiments,the touchpad may be referred to as a “menu button.” In some otherembodiments, the menu button may be a physical push button or otherphysical input/control device instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device 100 having a touchscreen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch screen maydisplay one or more graphics within user interface (UI) 200. In thisembodiment, as well as others, a user may select one or more of thegraphics by making contact or touching the graphics, for example, withone or more fingers 202 (not drawn to scale in the figure). In someembodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurs when the userbreaks contact with the one or more graphics. In some embodiments, thecontact may include a gesture, such as one or more taps, one or moreswipes (from left to right, right to left, upward and/or downward)and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, left to right, upwardand/or downward) that has made contact with the device 100. In someembodiments, inadvertent contact with a graphic may not select thegraphic. For example, a swipe gesture that sweeps over an applicationicon may not select the corresponding application when the gesturecorresponding to selection is a tap.

The device 100 may also include one or more physical buttons, such as“home” or menu button 204. As described previously, the menu button 204may be used to navigate to any application 136 in a set of applicationsthat may be executed on the device 100. Alternatively, in someembodiments, the menu button is implemented as a soft key in a GUI intouch screen 112.

In one embodiment, the device 100 includes a touch screen 112, a menubutton 204, a push button 206 for powering the device on/off and lockingthe device, volume adjustment button(s) 208, a Subscriber IdentityModule (SIM) card slot 210, a head set jack 212, and a docking/chargingexternal port 124. The push button 206 may be used to turn the poweron/off on the device by depressing the button and holding the button inthe depressed state for a predefined time interval; to lock the deviceby depressing the button and releasing the button before the predefinedtime interval has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate anunlock process. In an alternative embodiment, the device 100 also mayaccept verbal input for activation or deactivation of some functionsthrough the microphone 113.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”)and associated processes that may be implemented on a portablemultifunction device 100.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate exemplary user interfaces for unlocking aportable electronic device in accordance with some embodiments. In someembodiments, user interface 300A includes the following elements, or asubset or superset thereof:

-   -   Unlock image 302 that is moved with a finger gesture to unlock        the device;    -   Arrow 304 that provides a visual cue to the unlock gesture;    -   Channel 306 that provides additional cues to the unlock gesture;    -   Time 308;    -   Day 310;    -   Date 312; and    -   Wallpaper image 314.

In some embodiments, in addition to or in place of wallpaper image 314,an unlock user interface may include a device charging status icon 316and a headset charging status icon 318 (e.g., UI 300B, FIG. 3B). Thedevice charging status icon 316 indicates the battery status while thedevice 100 is being recharged (e.g., in a dock). Similarly, headsetcharging status icon 318 indicates the battery status of a headsetassociated with device 100 (e.g., a Bluetooth headset) while the headsetis being recharged (e.g., in another portion of the dock).

In some embodiments, the device detects contact with the touch-sensitivedisplay (e.g., a user's finger making contact on or near the unlockimage 302) while the device is in a user-interface lock state. Thedevice moves the unlock image 302 in accordance with the contact. Thedevice transitions to a user-interface unlock state if the detectedcontact corresponds to a predefined gesture, such as moving the unlockimage across channel 306. Conversely, the device maintains theuser-interface lock state if the detected contact does not correspond tothe predefined gesture. This process saves battery power by ensuringthat the device is not accidentally awakened. This process is easy forusers to perform, in part because of the visual cue(s) provided on thetouch screen.

In some embodiments, after detecting an unlock gesture, the devicedisplays a passcode (or password) interface (e.g., UI 300C, FIG. 3C) forentering a passcode to complete the unlock process. The addition of apasscode protects against unauthorized use of the device. In someembodiments, the passcode interface includes an emergency call icon thatpermits an emergency call (e.g., to 911) without entering the passcode.In some embodiments, the use of a passcode is a user-selectable option(e.g., part of settings 412).

As noted above, processes that use gestures on the touch screen tounlock the device are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/322,549, “Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An UnlockImage,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, and Ser. No. 11/322,550, “Indication OfProgress Towards Satisfaction Of A User Input Condition,” filed Dec. 23,2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments. In some embodiments, user interface 400A includes thefollowing elements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless communication(s),        such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals;    -   Time 404;    -   Battery status indicator 406;    -   Tray 408 with icons for frequently used applications, such as:        -   Phone 138, which may include an indicator 414 of the number            of missed calls or voicemail messages;        -   E-mail client 140, which may include an indicator 410 of the            number of unread e-mails;        -   Browser 147; and        -   Music player 146; and    -   Icons for other applications, such as:        -   IM 141;        -   Image management 144;        -   Camera 143;        -   Video player 145;        -   Weather 149-1;        -   Stocks 149-2;        -   Blog 142;        -   Calendar 148;        -   Calculator 149-3;        -   Alarm clock 149-4;        -   Dictionary 149-5; and        -   User-created widget 149-6.

In some embodiments, user interface 400B includes the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, 406, 141, 148, 144, 143, 149-3, 149-2, 149-1, 149-4,        410, 414, 138, 140, and 147, as described above;    -   Bluetooth indicator 405;    -   Map 154;    -   Notes 153;    -   Settings 412, which provides access to settings for the device        100 and its various applications 136, as described further        below;    -   Video and music player module 152, also referred to as iPod        (trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.) module 152; and    -   Online video module 155, also referred to as YouTube (trademark        of Google, Inc.) module 155.

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B displays all of the availableapplications 136 on one screen so that there is no need to scrollthrough a list of applications (e.g., via a scroll bar). In someembodiments, as the number of applications increase, the iconscorresponding to the applications may decrease in size so that allapplications may be displayed on a single screen without scrolling. Insome embodiments, having all applications on one screen and a menubutton enables a user to access any desired application with at most twoinputs, such as activating the menu button 204 and then activating thedesired application (e.g., by a tap or other finger gesture on the iconcorresponding to the application). In some embodiments, a predefinedgesture on the menu button 204 (e.g., a double tap or a double click)acts as a short cut that initiates display of a particular userinterface in a particular application. In some embodiments, the shortcut is a user-selectable option (e.g., part of settings 412). Forexample, if the user makes frequent calls to persons listed in aFavorites UI (e.g., UI 2700A, FIG. 27A) in the phone 138, the user maychoose to have the Favorites UI be displayed in response to a doubleclick on the menu button. As another example, the user may choose tohave a UI with information about the currently playing music (e.g., UI4300S, FIG. 43S) be displayed in response to a double click on the menubutton.

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B provides integrated access to bothwidget-based applications and non-widget-based applications. In someembodiments, all of the widgets, whether user-created or not, aredisplayed in UI 400A or 400B. In other embodiments, activating the iconfor user-created widget 149-6 may lead to another UI that contains theuser-created widgets or icons corresponding to the user-created widgets.

In some embodiments, a user may rearrange the icons in UI 400A or 400B,e.g., using processes described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/459,602, “Portable Electronic Device With Interface ReconfigurationMode,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety. For example, a user may move application icons in and outof tray 408 using finger gestures.

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B includes a gauge (not shown) thatdisplays an updated account usage metric for an account associated withusage of the device (e.g., a cellular phone account), as described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/322,552, “Account InformationDisplay For Portable Communication Device,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, whichis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, a signal strength indicator 402 (FIG. 4B) for aWiFi network is replaced by a symbol for a cellular network (e.g., theletter “E” for an EDGE network, FIG. 4A) when the device switches fromusing the WiFi network to using the cellular network for datatransmission (e.g., because the WiFi signal is weak or unavailable).

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate exemplary user interfaces for inserting acharacter from an alternate keyboard on a touch screen in accordancewith some embodiments. FIG. 5A, for example, includes a UI 500A forcreating and sending an email message (e.g., “Barbeque on Saturday”shown in UIs 500A-H, FIGS. 5A-5H).

In some embodiments, UIs 500A-H (FIGS. 5A-5H) include the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, and 406, as described above;    -   Cancel icon 505 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon) cancels the message being composed;    -   Send icon 507 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on the        icon) initiates sending the message to one or more parties        (e.g., Bruce Walker, Janet Walker);    -   Attach icon 510 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon), displays a UI for adding attachments (not shown).    -   Message box 512;    -   Letter keyboard 516 for entering text (e.g. in box 512), which        contains a plurality of character-insertion keys (e.g., letter        keys A-Z and the space bar);    -   Number/symbol keyboard 518 for entering text (e.g., in box 512),        which contains a plurality of character-insertion keys (e.g.,        number keys 0-9, space bar, and symbol keys);    -   Insertion marker 538 (e.g., a cursor, insertion bar, insertion        point, or pointer) that indicates where the next character will        be inserted;    -   Alternate keyboard selector key 552 that when activated (e.g.,        by a finger contact or tap on the icon) initiates the display of        a different keyboard (e.g., number/symbol keyboard 518, FIG.        5C);    -   Return icon 554 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon) initiates a return such that the insertion marker 538        starts a new line of text (not shown); and    -   Alternate keyboard selector key 556 that when activated (e.g.,        by a finger contact or tap on the icon) initiates the display of        a different keyboard (e.g., letter keyboard 516, FIG. 5A).

In some embodiments, a first keyboard (e.g., letter keyboard 516) isdisplayed that contains a plurality of character-insertion keys (e.g.,letter keys A-Z and the space bar on the letter keyboard 516). In someembodiments, while displaying the letter keyboard 516, a contact 560-1is detected on the alternate keyboard selector key 552 (UI 500B, FIG.5B). In response to detecting the contact 560-1 (FIG. 5B) on thealternate keyboard selector key 552, a second soft keyboard (e.g.number/symbol keyboard 518) is displayed (UI 500C, FIG. 5C).

In some embodiments, the second soft keyboard contains a plurality ofnumber and/or symbol insertion keys (e.g., number keys 0-9, space barand symbol keys on the number/symbol keyboard 518) and includes anotheralternate keyboard selector key 556. In some embodiments, thecharacter-insertion keys in the number/symbol keyboard 518 (FIG. 5C) andthe other keyboards are visually distinguished from keys that do notinsert characters. For example, character-insertion keys for letters,numbers, punctuation marks, a space, or other symbols may have adifferent shading or color than keys in the second keyboard that do notinsert characters such as a deletion key, a return key, a shift key, ora key for selecting another soft keyboard. In user interfaces 500A-500H(FIGS. 5A-5H), the keys that do not insert characters are shadedslightly darker than the keys used to insert characters.

In some embodiments, the contact 560 is a finger contact. In someembodiments, the contact 560 is a stylus contact.

In some embodiments, displaying the number/symbol keyboard 518 (FIG. 5C)in response to detecting the contact 560 (FIG. 5B) on the alternatekeyboard selector key 552 (FIG. 5B) includes ceasing to display theletter keyboard 516 (first displayed in FIG. 5A).

In some embodiments, in response to detecting a contact (e.g., contact560-2, FIG. 5D) over a character-insertion key (e.g., “?” key 564, FIG.5D), an image with an enlarged version of the character in thecharacter-insertion key is displayed (e.g., image 563 with an enlargedversion of the “?” character in key 564, FIG. 5E) to indicate that thecorresponding character-insertion key (e.g., 564) will be selected ifthe contact 560 lifts off at its current position. In some embodiments,in response to detecting a contact (e.g., contact 560-2, FIG. 5D) over acharacter-insertion key (e.g., “?” key 564, FIG. 5D), an enlargedversion of the character-insertion key is displayed to indicate that thecharacter-insertion key will be selected if the contact 560 lifts off atits current position. In some embodiments, if lift off of the contact560-2 is detected at a character-insertion key, the correspondingcharacter 574 is inserted at the insertion marker 538 (FIG. 5F) and thenumber/symbol keyboard 518 ceases to be displayed (UI 500F, FIG. 5F). Insome embodiments, the letter keyboard 516 (the first keyboard to bedisplayed) is redisplayed (UI 500F, FIG. 5F) when the number/symbolkeyboard 518 ceases to be displayed.

In some embodiments, if the contact 560-1 (FIG. 5G) is moved (e.g.,movements 571 and 575) to keys that do not insert characters (e.g., keysthat are shaded on keyboard 518 in UI 500G, FIG. 5G), and lift off isdetected over such keys (e.g., contacts 560-4, 560-5, FIG. 5G), then thedisplay of the alternate keyboard (e.g., number/symbol keyboard 518 inUI 500H, FIG. 5H) is maintained. In some embodiments, the display of thealternate keyboard (e.g., number/symbol keyboard 518 in UI 500H, FIG.5H) is maintained if lift off is detected in regions of the touch screendisplay other than keys for inserting characters. For example, if thecontact 560 is moved as shown by movement 565 from 560-1 to 560-3 andlift off is detected at 560-3, the number/symbol keyboard is maintained(UI 500H, FIG. 5H).

The user interfaces in FIGS. 5A-5H are used to illustrate the processdescribed below with respect to FIGS. 6A-6C.

FIG. 6A is flow diagram illustrating a method 6000 of inserting acharacter from an alternate keyboard on a touch screen display inaccordance with some embodiments. The method 6000 is performed at adevice with a touch screen display. In some embodiments, the method 6000is performed at a portable multifunction device with a touch screendisplay (e.g., portable multifunction device 100). As described below,the method 6000 provides an efficient way for a user to insert acharacter from an alternate keyboard.

The device displays (6020) a first soft keyboard. The first softkeyboard contains a plurality of character-insertion keys (e.g.,keyboard 516 with keys A-Z and space bar, FIG. 5A).

While displaying the first soft keyboard, the device displays (6040) akey for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first softkeyboard (e.g., key 552, FIG. 5A). The second soft keyboard contains aplurality of character-insertion keys (e.g., keyboard 518 with numberkeys, space bar, and symbol keys, FIG. 5C).

The device detects (6060) a first contact 560 on the key for selectingthe second soft keyboard (e.g., contact 560-1 on key 552, FIG. 5B).

In some embodiments, the first contact 560 is a finger contact (6080).In some embodiments, the first contact 560 is a stylus contact (6100).

In response to detecting the first contact 560 on the key for selectingthe second soft keyboard, the device displays (6120) the second softkeyboard (e.g., keyboard 518, FIG. 5C).

In some embodiments, the character-insertion keys in the second keyboardare (6140) visually distinguished from keys in the second keyboard thatdo not insert characters. For example, character-insertion keys forletters, numbers, punctuation marks, a space, or other symbols may havea different shading or color than keys in the second keyboard that donot insert characters such as a deletion key, a return key, a shift key,or a key for selecting another soft keyboard. In user interfaces500A-500H (FIGS. 5A-5H), the keys that do not insert characters areshaded slightly darker than the keys used to insert characters.

In some embodiments, displaying the second soft keyboard in response todetecting the first contact 560 on the key for selecting the second softkeyboard includes (6160) ceasing to display the first soft keyboard. Forexample, in response to detecting contact 560-1 on key 552 (FIG. 5B),the device displays keyboard 518 and ceases to display keyboard 516(FIG. 5C). Conversely, in some embodiments, all or part of the firstkeyboard is still displayed (e.g., on devices with large touch screens,not shown).

The device detects (6180) the first contact 560 moving on the touchscreen display to a character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard.For example, the device detects contact 560 (FIG. 5D) moving 562 fromkey 556 to character-insertion key 564 (FIG. 5D), a “?” key.

The device detects (6200) lift off of the first contact 560 from thetouch screen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved. For example, the devicedetects lift off of the first contact 560 at the “?” key 564 (FIG. 5D or5E).

First contact 560 is a continuous contact with the touch screen display.In other words, the first contact 560 maintains contact with the touchscreen display from the time the first contact (e.g., 560-1) is detectedon the key for selecting the second soft keyboard until the time thatlift off of the first contact (e.g., 560-2) from the touch screendisplay is detected at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved.

In response to detecting lift off of the first contact 560 from thetouch screen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved, the device inserts (6220) acharacter that corresponds to the character-insertion key in the secondsoft keyboard to which the first contact moved (e.g., the device insertsthe “?” character 574, FIG. 5F) and ceases to display the second softkeyboard (e.g., keyboard 518 is no longer displayed in FIG. 5F). Forexample, a character such as a letter, number, punctuation mark, aspace, or other symbol may be inserted in a text input area (e.g.,message box 512) on the touch screen display.

In some embodiments, ceasing to display the second soft keyboard 518 inresponse to detecting lift off of the first contact from the touchscreen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved may also include the deviceredisplaying (6240) the first soft keyboard (e.g., 516, FIG. 5F).

In some embodiments, the display of the second keyboard 518 ismaintained (6260) if lift off of the first contact 560 is detected at alocation on the touch screen display other than the location of acharacter-insertion key in the second keyboard (e.g., as described abovewith respect to FIGS. 5G and 5H). For example, display of the secondkeyboard 518 is maintained if lift off is detected at a text input area,at a deletion key, at a return key, at a shift key, or at a key forselecting another soft keyboard.

A graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touchscreen display includes: a first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys (e.g., keyboard 516, FIG. 5A); a key forselecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard(e.g., key 552, FIG. 5A); and the second soft keyboard (e.g., keyboard518, FIG. 5C), the second soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys. The key 552 for selecting the second softkeyboard is displayed while displaying the first soft keyboard 516. Inresponse to detecting a first contact on the key for selecting thesecond soft keyboard (e.g., contact 560-1, FIG. 5B), the second softkeyboard 518 is displayed (e.g., UI 500C, FIG. 5C). The first contact560 is detected moving on the touch screen display (e.g., from 560-1 to560-2, FIG. 5D) to a character-insertion key in the second soft keyboard(e.g., key 564, FIGS. 5D-5E). Lift off of the first contact (e.g.,contact 560-2, FIG. 5D) from the touch screen display is detected at thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the firstcontact moved. In response to detecting lift off of the first contactfrom the touch screen display at the character-insertion key in thesecond soft keyboard to which the first contact moved, a character(e.g., character 574, FIG. 5F) is inserted that corresponds to thecharacter-insertion key (e.g., key 564, FIG. 5E) in the second softkeyboard to which the first contact moved, and display of the secondsoft keyboard is ceased (e.g., UI 500F, FIG. 5F).

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention andvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: at a portable electronicdevice with a touch screen display: displaying a first soft keyboard anda text input area, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; while displaying the first soft keyboard,displaying a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from thefirst soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; detecting a single contact on the key forselecting the second soft keyboard; in response to detecting the singlecontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, displayingthe second soft keyboard; while maintaining the single contact,detecting the single contact moving on the touch screen display withoutbreaking contact with the touch screen display, to a character-insertionkey in the second soft keyboard; detecting lift off of the singlecontact from the touch screen display at the character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard to which the single contact moved; and inresponse to detecting lift off of the single contact from the touchscreen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the single contact moved: inserting a character in thetext input area that corresponds to the character-insertion key in thesecond soft keyboard to which the single contact moved; and ceasing todisplay the second soft keyboard.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thesingle contact is a finger contact.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe single contact is a stylus contact.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein display of the second keyboard is maintained if lift off of thesingle contact is detected at a location on the touch screen displayother than the location of a character-insertion key in the secondkeyboard.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein character-insertion keys inthe second keyboard are visually distinguished from keys in the secondkeyboard that do not insert characters.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the key for selecting the second soft keyboard different fromthe first soft keyboard is a dedicated keyboard selection key.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, including: in response to detecting the singlecontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, ceasing todisplay the first soft keyboard.
 8. A graphical user interface on aportable electronic device with a touch screen display, a memory, andone or more processors to execute one or more programs in the memory,the graphical user interface comprising: a first soft keyboardcontaining a plurality of character-insertion keys; a text input area; akey for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first softkeyboard; and the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboardcontaining a plurality of character-insertion keys; wherein: the key forselecting the second soft keyboard is displayed while displaying thefirst soft keyboard; in response to detecting a single contact on thekey for selecting the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard isdisplayed; the single contact, while being maintained, is detectedmoving on the touch screen display without breaking contact with thetouch screen display to a character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard; lift off of the single contact from the touch screen displayis detected at the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboardto which the single contact moved; and in response to detecting lift offof the single contact from the touch screen display at thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the singlecontact moved: a character is inserted in the text input area thatcorresponds to the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboardto which the single contact moved; and display of the second softkeyboard is ceased.
 9. A portable electronic device, comprising: a touchscreen display; one or more processors; memory; and one or moreprograms, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory andconfigured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programsincluding instructions for: displaying a first soft keyboard and a textinput area, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; while displaying the first soft keyboard,displaying a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from thefirst soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; detecting a single contact on the key forselecting the second soft keyboard; in response to detecting the singlecontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, displayingthe second soft keyboard; while maintaining the single contact,detecting the single contact moving on the touch screen display withoutbreaking contact with the touch screen display to a character-insertionkey in the second soft keyboard; detecting lift off of the singlecontact from the touch screen display at the character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard to which the single contact moved; and inresponse to detecting lift off of the single contact from the touchscreen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the single contact moved: inserting a character in thetext input area that corresponds to the character-insertion key in thesecond soft keyboard to which the single contact moved; and ceasing todisplay the second soft keyboard.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein thesingle contact is a finger contact.
 11. The device of claim 9, whereinthe single contact is a stylus contact.
 12. The device of claim 9,wherein display of the second keyboard is maintained if lift off of thesingle contact is detected at a location on the touch screen displayother than the location of a character-insertion key in the secondkeyboard.
 13. The device of claim 9, wherein character-insertion keys inthe second keyboard are visually distinguished from keys in the secondkeyboard that do not insert characters.
 14. The device of claim 9,wherein the key for selecting the second soft keyboard different fromthe first soft keyboard is a dedicated keyboard selection key.
 15. Thedevice of claim 9, including instructions for: in response to detectingthe single contact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard,ceasing to display the first soft keyboard.
 16. A non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions,which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screendisplay, cause the device to: display a first soft keyboard and a textinput area, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; while displaying the first soft keyboard,display a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from thefirst soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality ofcharacter-insertion keys; detect a single contact on the key forselecting the second soft keyboard; in response to detecting the singlecontact on the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, display thesecond soft keyboard; while maintaining the single contact, detect thesingle contact moving on the touch screen display without breakingcontact with the touch screen display to a character-insertion key inthe second soft keyboard; detect lift off of the single contact from thetouch screen display at the character-insertion key in the second softkeyboard to which the single contact moved; and in response to detectinglift off of the single contact from the touch screen display at thecharacter-insertion key in the second soft keyboard to which the singlecontact moved: insert a character in the text input area thatcorresponds to the character-insertion key in the second soft keyboardto which the single contact moved; and cease to display the second softkeyboard.
 17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, whereinthe single contact is a finger contact.
 18. The computer readablestorage medium of claim 16, wherein the single contact is a styluscontact.
 19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, whereindisplay of the second keyboard is maintained if lift off of the singlecontact is detected at a location on the touch screen display other thanthe location of a character-insertion key in the second keyboard. 20.The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, whereincharacter-insertion keys in the second keyboard are visuallydistinguished from keys in the second keyboard that do not insertcharacters.
 21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16,wherein the key for selecting the second soft keyboard different fromthe first soft keyboard is a dedicated keyboard selection key.
 22. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 16, including instructionswhich cause the device to: in response to detecting the single contacton the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, cease to display thefirst soft keyboard.